The present invention relates to rain gutter debris guards, and in particular to a universal end cap and method therefor.
Gutter protection systems, such as guards, caps, screens and shields, are well known in the art, and are designed to prevent leaves and other debris from entering the trough-shaped interior of the gutter, while directing runoff water to a desired location. Some types of gutter guards, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,182,399 and 5,845,435, are incorporated into a complete gutter system of the type having a special gutter shape. Consequently, such guards cannot be used to retrofit an existing conventional gutter.
Some types of gutter guards, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0073631 A1, attach to the existing hangers of a conventional gutter, while others, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0069594 A1, employ special clips to attach the guard to the front lip of an existing gutter. In both such designs, extra stress is applied to the gutter and/or associated hangers as a result of the weight of the guard, as well as the runoff water and related debris. This additional weight can result in substantial problems, particularly when the existing gutter is installed without anticipating the additional weight of a retrofitted guard.
Many types of gutter guards are currently available, including those that use screens or expanded metal panels, as well as those using imperforate caps or top sheets. Typically, both of these designs rely upon the rain gutter itself for support, and/or must be fastened to the roof, resulting in increased installation difficulty, costs and potential leakage. Those gutter guards which employ imperforate caps or top sheets, such as the devices disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication U.S. 2002/0073631 A1, as well as Applicant's own related U.S. pending patent application Ser. No. 10/458,562, entitled RAIN GUTTER GUARD AND METHOD, have open ends between the top of the gutter and the cap or top sheet. These open ends are preferably closed off to prevent debris from entering between the adjacent ends of the gutter and the guard. While end panels have been formed integrally with the top cap, or fixedly mounted to the same, such constructions require separate left and right hand parts, are relatively expensive, and are not adapted to accommodate use with a wide variety of differently shaped and sized gutters.